10 Best Audiobooks to Keep You Motivated on Long Hikes

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There’s something about the rhythm of your footsteps, the whisper of wind through the trees, and the crunch of gravel under your boots that makes long hikes magical — but even the most passionate hiker knows that motivation can fade somewhere between mile five and fifteen. That’s where the Best Audiobooks to Keep You Motivated on Long Hikes come in. Whether you’re tackling steep mountain trails, walking quiet forest paths, or crossing long stretches of open country, the right audiobook can turn hours of hiking into an inspiring and energizing journey.

In this detailed guide, we’ve gathered the best audiobooks for long hikes — stories and experiences that lift your spirits, fuel your determination, and keep your mind engaged while your legs do the work. From gripping adventure tales and true survival stories to personal growth journeys and motivational nonfiction, each audiobook on this list has been reviewed, tested, and ranked by our expert team of hiking fanatics. We’ve spent countless hours hiking with these titles in our ears, making sure they not only entertain but also match the rhythm and emotion of long treks in nature.

10 Best Audiobooks to Keep You Motivated on Long Hikes

Here’s a comparison table of the 10 best audiobooks to keep you motivated on long hikes.

Book Name	Image	Author	Genre / Theme	Length	Why It’s Great for Long Hikes
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds		David Goggins	Memoir / Motivation	13 hrs 37 mins	Goggins’ raw, unfiltered life story pushes you past limits — perfect fuel when the trail gets tough.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen		Christopher McDougall	Adventure / Endurance	11 hrs 9 mins	A thrilling mix of running, endurance, and human potential — keeps your mind energized for miles.
Into the Wild		Jon Krakauer	Adventure / True Story	7 hrs 25 mins	A captivating real-life tale that speaks to every hiker’s love for freedom and exploration.
The Alchemist		Paulo Coelho	Fiction / Inspiration	4 hrs 0 mins	A timeless fable about following your dreams — pairs perfectly with a quiet trail and open skies.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail		Cheryl Strayed	Memoir / Adventure	13 hrs 2 mins	Strayed’s emotional hike across the PCT mirrors the self-discovery many hikers seek on long trails.
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage		Alfred Lansing	History / Survival	10 hrs 33 mins	A powerful story of leadership, grit, and survival — ideal motivation for challenging hikes.
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones		James Clear	Self-Improvement / Motivation	5 hrs 35 mins	Inspires small, consistent improvements — just like steady steps that conquer long trails.
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail		Bill Bryson	Humor / Travel	9 hrs 45 mins	A witty and insightful hiking adventure that adds laughter and perspective to long treks.
The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery		Brianna Wiest	Self-Help / Emotional Growth	6 hrs 43 mins	A perfect metaphor for hiking and self-growth — helps you push through mental barriers.
Ultra Marathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner		Dean Karnazes	Adventure / Endurance	8 hrs 15 mins	Karnazes’ stories of extreme running inspire you to embrace the limits of body and mind.

1. Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – (Motivation Powerhouse)

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On a long hike when your legs are burning, and your mind is drifting, this audiobook delivers in a big way. The raw tone and unfiltered story of David Goggins make this a powerhouse for outdoor athletes and hikers. We found ourselves increasing pace not just physically but mentally, as Goggins walks through how he overcame obstacles far beyond the ordinary. This is more than one of the best audiobooks for long hikes—it’s a mental anchor.

The narrative forces you to reflect: when you feel like you’re done, you’re really only at about 40% of your capability. That mindset shift alone makes it worth plugging into your trail playlist. The voice-driven intensity helps keep fatigue at bay. We recommend this book for those hikes where the terrain is tough and motivation might be slipping. The combination of life story, challenge, grit, and actionable mindset make it one of our top picks for best audiobooks to keep you motivated on long hikes.

2. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen – (Adventure Endurance)

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For hikes where you want your mind informed and engaged while your legs carry you through miles, this audiobook delivers a blend of adventure storytelling and endurance inspiration. Born to Run recounts the journey of McDougall’s exploration of the Tarahumara tribe, ultra-runners, and the nature of human stamina. We listened on a long forest traverse and found that the vivid scenes of rugged terrain and running tribes mirrored our own trail surroundings—not just motivation but a kind of mirrored experience.

What makes this a sound choice for long hikes is that it doesn’t just tell you “push harder”—it invites you to wonder what your body is capable of in the wild. The book is rich in anecdote, science, history, and personality. As hikers who often face both physical and mental fatigue, the storyline keeps them alert and intrigued. In our ranking of best audiobooks for long hikes, this one stands out for its blend of entertainment + endurance uplift.

3. “Into the Wild” – (Wilderness Reflection)

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When you’re on a long hike and the trail gives you space to reflect, this audiobook is a fantastic companion. Into the Wild tells the intense, haunting story of Chris McCandless who ventured into Alaska alone, and the aftermath of that journey. This title is suitable for moments of introspection on the trail—when you pause at a ridge, look out at the valley and your pace slows, your mind opens.

The relatively short duration (compared to some others here) means it fits mid-day or even dusk walks without dragging the terrain out. The writing is sharp, clear, evocative of remote landscapes, which aligns with a hiker’s mindset. You’ll feel that your hike becomes an inner journey as much as an outer one. In our selection of best audiobooks for long hikes, this book is top-rated for its reflective power, ideal when you need something more than adrenaline.

4. The Alchemist – (Inspirational Journey)

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For times on your hike when you want something lighter, uplifting and quietly powerful, The Alchemist fits beautifully. It’s less about hardcore endurance and more about inner exploration—perfect for those long trail miles where you settle into rhythm and let your mind drift. Though not strictly a “hiking” or “motivation through movement” book, it offers inspiration that aligns with the walk itself: the journey matters as much as the destination.

Listening to this during a mellow afternoon trail with open vistas made the hike feel like part of a story. It reset our mindset and made us appreciate the walk itself rather than just the endpoint. Among audiobooks for long hikes, this one is a restful but uplifting pick—valuable when you want motivation without the relentless push.

5. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail – (Trail Memoir)

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Because we review and test gear and stories with the outdoor enthusiast mindset, Wild is one of the best audiobooks for long hikes. Cheryl Strayed’s journey along the Pacific Crest Trail is raw, honest, gritty and beautifully connected to nature and self-discovery. Listening to this while you’re hiking feels like walking alongside her—through desert, mountain, forest, and emotional terrain. It is especially powerful for multi-day hikes or long solitary sections—a story of resilience that mirrors the path itself.

The length is generous, so your hike has a rich narrative companion that doesn’t end too soon. The tone fluctuates between hardship and renewal, which aligns with trail reality: uphill climbs, long ridges, moments of doubt and triumph. In our ranking of best audiobooks to keep you motivated on long hikes, this one is a strong all-around choice: motivational, outdoors-centric, story-driven.

It’s perfect if you appreciate the trail for more than physical challenge—if you care about the inner transformation, the scenery, the soul of hiking. If your hike is shorter or you want high-octane motivation, consider pairing this with something more energetic. But for a long, immersive trail story, this ranks high.

6. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage – (Survival Classic)

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For those hikes where the terrain feels relentless, and you find yourself battling unexpected weather (wind, cold, high gain), this audiobook pairs nicely with that grit. Endurance recounts a legendary survival expedition in extreme conditions. From our field test on alpine ridge hikes, the story’s themes of leadership, perseverance, and hardship stirred a quiet but firm motivation. It’s not about running or speed—it’s about outlasting, enduring, and making thoughtful decisions under pressure. That aligns with long-day hikes where weather, elevation, and fatigue test you.

In our review of best audiobooks for long hikes, this sits in the “serious, deeper motivational” category. If you want to keep stepping when everything seems stacked against you, this story becomes your internal soundtrack. It also broadens your mindset: hiking is not just exercise—it’s small-scale survival of self, challenge and nature.

7. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – (Self-Improvement Momentum)

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When you hit a long hike that feels repetitive or when your brain zone enters the “just step after step” mode, this audiobook works as a subtle but effective motivator. Atomic Habits isn’t directly about hiking, but its focus on habit, process, and consistency aligns beautifully with long-distance trail movement. On flat trail stretches, listening to this makes you more attuned to your rhythm, your gait, your micro-choices (rest or keep going). It reminds you that each step is part of a pattern, and when the body tires, habits carry you.

This audiobook falls into a unique niche: not adrenaline-fuel, not big adventure story—but quiet, intelligent motivation. Ideal for when you need mental clarity and steady progress rather than emotional waves. If you’re training for multi-day trips or want to turn hiking into a routine, this audiobook fusions seamlessly with your steps.

8. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail – (Trail Humour & Reflection)

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For hikers who want something that keeps the pace light, engaging and full of moments of laughter as well as scenery, this audiobook shines. A Walk in the Woods gives you the feel of trail banter, nature mishaps, character encounters and scenery descriptions that resonate with long hikes. On our multi-day ridge and forest treks, the comedic parts kept morale high when the trail was muddy or tough. It feels like listening to a hiking companion with stories.

This is one of the best audiobooks for long hikes when you’re looking for motivation that doesn’t demand adrenaline. It celebrates the walk itself, the scenery, the oddities of outdoor life. If you want mind-engagement plus entertainment and gentle inspiration, this title hits a sweet spot.

9. The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery – (Inner Growth for Hikers)

Just $0.99/month for the first 3 months – Limited time offer

When your hike feels like it’s not just about the terrain but about internal voice-tracking (“I can’t,” “just stop,” etc.), this audiobook gives you the mental tools to push past those moments. The Mountain Is You isn’t explicitly about hiking, but as outdoor enthusiasts, we saw it as perfectly synchronized with the ebb and flow of trail mindset: the long climbs, the plateau fatigue, the soreness and the voices saying “just stop now.” Listening to it on a high-gain ascent helps shift your internal monologue from “I’m done” to “I can push further.”

In the roundup of best audiobooks for long hikes, this book is ideal for interior landscape work—when the external terrain is tough and your inner terrain even tougher. It brings clarity, reflection and subtle yet strong encouragement. Use it for those hikes where you know you’ll hit the wall mentally and physically, and you want a companion that addresses both.

10. Ultra Marathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner – (Extreme Endurance Boost)

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If your hike is intense, high-mileage, or you’re gearing up for something epic, this audiobook becomes a strong motivational engine. Ultra Marathon Man takes you into the world of extreme endurance—beyond the standard hike. Although the movement is running-based, many of the lessons apply directly to hiking: pacing, stamina, mindset, pushing when you hit the limit. On a full-day trek with heavy pack, the narration of Karnazes’ nights-long runs under stars made our trail feel part of a broader challenge—and energized our steps.

For long hikes, this book sits as the “big effort” option—perfect when you’re not just walking, but striving for distance, elevation or multi-day performance. It energizes you, matches tough physical challenges, and offers stories of grit to emulate. However, it’s less suitable for casual scenic hikes or relaxed mode—it’s about pushing and expanding. But for serious hike sessions, it’s an excellent choice.

Tips for Listening on Long Hikes

Whether you’re deep in the wilderness or exploring local trails, having the right setup can make your experience seamless and safe. Here are some practical Audible tips for hikers and strategies to help you listen to audiobooks while hiking without distractions or issues.

Choose wireless or bone-conduction headphones for safety

Choose bone-conduction headphones or wireless earbuds that allow you to stay aware of your surroundings. Bone-conduction models like AfterShokz are especially popular among hikers because they let you hear ambient sounds — such as approaching wildlife or fellow hikers — while still enjoying your audiobook clearly.

Download audiobooks offline before hitting remote trails

Signals can drop fast once you’re off the grid. Always download your best hiking audiobooks offline before your trip. Platforms like Audible and Amazon make it easy to store titles locally, ensuring uninterrupted playback even on the most isolated mountain paths.

Combine listening with rest breaks to reflect and recharge

Take occasional breaks to pause your audiobook and absorb what you’ve heard. Sit by a stream, overlook a ridge, or just relax on a fallen log. Reflecting on the story while resting helps you process it more deeply and gives your mind time to recharge before moving on.

Share your favorite audiobooks with your hiking group

Swap recommendations with fellow hikers or create a shared list of the best hiking audiobooks for your group. It’s a fun way to stay connected, spark conversations, and maybe even start a trail-side book club during your outdoor adventures.

Match your audiobook to your trail’s mood

Pick stories that fit your route’s energy — inspiring memoirs for steep climbs, calm nature reflections for forest paths, or thrilling adventures for long treks. It keeps your motivation high and makes the experience feel more personal and immersive.

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Conclusion

With the right audiobook, those long miles feel shorter, and your journey becomes something you’ll want to relive again and again. If you haven’t already, there’s no better time to start exploring this world of inspiration on the move. Make your next hike more inspiring — start your free Audible trial and bring one of these audiobooks on your trail adventure! You’ll gain access to thousands of motivational, adventure, and outdoor titles that perfectly match your hiking rhythm.